Archival denies irregularities, just P200K income from Colon Night Market operations

Local

WHO’s really behind the Colon Night Market? Not City Hall, says Mayor Nestor Archival.

Amid mounting allegations of irregularities and calls for suspension from the City Council, Archival clarified that a third-party organizer, not the Cebu City Government, is officially managing the popular downtown night market.

In a press conference on Monday, Oct. 13, the mayor said the organizer’s proposal was approved by his office and the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) after paying P200,000 to the city for a special permit.

“Many dispute the Night Market, but have we revisited the facts?” Archival said. “There is somebody who offered to organize it. It was approved by the Mayor and the BPLO, and they paid P200,000 for that. They are the ones who organized it and rented out their tents. What’s the problem with that?”

He added that the organizer shoulders key operating costs, including electricity, garbage collection, and security, expenses that the city used to cover for free.

“For so many years that we’ve had the Night Market, the city didn’t earn anything from it. Now we have P200,000, and I think another P600,000, we’ll check the data,” Archival said. “That’s the point. If there are complaints, come to my office so we can solve them.”

The mayor also dismissed Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover’s repeated claims that some vendors were being charged P6,000 per stall, saying those raising the issue should directly clarify it with his office.

“Those who keep saying P6,000, you go to my office so we can talk. If you don’t want to rent, then don’t rent,” Archival said. “And again, for so many years, did the city ever earn from the Night Market? You can probably ask the BPLO.”

City Treasurer Emma Villarete, for her part, confirmed that her office used to collect only the arkabala, a daily regulatory fee of P50 for food stalls and P30 for non-food stalls, under the city’s tax ordinance.

She said that when her office reviewed old remittances from the Night Market under the GASA sa Gugma Board, it found that neither the city nor the barangay had been paying for utilities such as electricity.

“The only thing that we received from the Night Market before is the P50 for food and P30 for non-food stalls,” Villarete said.

Under the new setup, vendors must now secure a special permit for the entire run of the market, from October 16 to December 31, 2025. Each permit costs P2,500 — revenue that now goes to the city.

“This year, it’s not like before when it was only arkabala. Now, we require them to get a special permit,” Villarete added.

Alcover, chair of the council’s committee on markets, has been calling for an investigation, describing the current arrangement as “illegal” for allegedly bypassing the GASA sa Gugma (GASA) Board, the body mandated by City Ordinance No. 2386 to oversee all night market operations.

“I am not against the night market. What I am against is the black market — it’s illegal,” Alcover said in a previous session.

He stressed that the GASA Board must first approve any night market activity before implementation. The board serves as a policymaking body, while the City Treasurer’s Office handles the collections.

“The GASA Board is a policy-making body, not a collector,” Alcover said. “The City Treasurer collects through arkabala, where each stall pays from P25 to P50 per day.”

The councilor also questioned reports that organizers collect P6,000 monthly from vendors occupying public roads.

“Why are government-owned spaces being rented out? If it’s for tents, that’s one thing, but P6,000 a month per stall — who receives that?” Alcover said.

Archival stood by the legality of the current setup. He emphasized that the Night Market underwent proper approval processes and now provides financial benefit to the city.

“Again, they paid P200,000 for the permit. They’re renting out tents. The city earns something now, which never happened before,” the mayor said.

He also appealed for calm amid the growing controversy.

“For those who keep complaining — if there are issues, come to my office. Let’s solve this properly,” Archival said.

The Colon Night Market, which reopened on Sept. 14, continues to draw hundreds of vendors and visitors nightly, remaining one of Cebu City’s busiest weekend destinations.(TGP)